Folders in a website

In the following table comments shown in teal apply to FrontPage only, maroon to Expression Web only. All other comments apply equally to Expression Web and FrontPage, though only FrontPage may be mentioned.

Before looking at the Folders in a website, there are two files located in the root folder worth noting:

• Files

  • _vti_inf.html

    Purpose

    Contains configuration information for FrontPage extensions.

    Comments

     Always present in a FrontPage extended website. The absence of this file is a test for checking whether the extensions are installed or not - no file=no extensions. Unfortunately the converse is not always true - if the extensions have been removed or are broken, the file may still be present.

    A sample of this file, as used on a Windows server, is here.

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage and Expression Web in sites running on a server when opened as disc based or with HTTP. May be visible in FTP clients or Expression Web if the site is opened with FTP - though using FTP may break the extensions.

    Not usually present in disc based web sites, or sites published with FTP.

  • postinfo.html

    Purpose

    Contains configuration information for FrontPage extensions.

    Comments

    Usually, but not always, present in a FrontPage extended website.

    This file is used by Office programs (Publisher, Word etc.) for publishing documents to a web site, whereas FrontPage and expression Web will use _vti_inf.html.

    A sample of this file, as used on a Windows server, is here.

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage and Expression Web in sites running on a server when opened as disc based or with HTTP. May be visible in FTP clients or Expression Web if the site is opened with FTP - though using FTP may break the extensions.

    Not usually present in disc based web sites, or sites published with FTP.

• Folders

  • The root folder

    Contains

    Home page and other files and folders

    Comments

    This folder shows the name of the website in FrontPage, and contains all the files and folders contained in the website.
    Typically, it is not named "root"

  • _borders

    Contains

    Shared border files -
    left.htm
    right.htm
    top.htm
    bottom.htm

    Comments

    Also contains the border files used in a discussion web:
    disc1_aftr.htm
    disc1_ahdr.htm
    disc1_foot.htm
    disc1_head.htm

    Status

    Normally hidden in FrontPage, but can be made visible

    File Extensions

    .htm

  • _derived

    Contains

    Images used by themed sites for buttons and banners.
    
    Templates for the FrontPage Search webbot, when used with a Windows server and Index Service
    
    Copies of files checked out when using FrontPage "Document Check in and check out"

    Comments

    This folder will never be seen in FrontPage, regardless of the "Show hidden folders and files" setting.
    Expression Web may show this folder (and its contents) in the Publish screen when using FTP to publish. The folder is always hidden in Folders View, and the Folders List.

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage. Usually hidden, but sometimes shows in Expression Web.

    File Extensions

    .gif
    .htx

  • _fpclass

    Contains

    For FrontPage98, Java class files for Hover Buttons and Banner Ad Manager.
    
    ASP include files for Database wizards.
    
    Code-behind files for asp.Net pages produced by FrontPage.

    Comments

    Java class files are stored in the root folder in FP2002 and later.

    Status

    Normally hidden in FrontPage, but can be made visible

    File Extensions

    .ascx
    .class
    .cs
    .inc
    .incs

  • _overlay

    Contains

    Text overlay images for themed buttons and banners

    Comments

    These images are merged with images in the _themes folder to produce buttons and banners stored in the _derived folder when FrontPage link bars are used with a theme.

    Status

    Normally hidden in FrontPage, but can be made visible

    File Extensions

    .gif

  • _private

    Contains

    Hit counter files
    Form results files

    Comments

    Permissions are set to:

    • Require authorisation to access contents
    • or Deny access to all users (unless already logged on to the server)

    Status

    Always visible in FrontPage

    File Extensions

    .cnt
    .txt
    .csv

  • _themes

    Contains

    One folder for each theme in use, which in turn contain the images and CSS files used for the theme

    Status

    Normally hidden in FrontPage, but can be made visible

    File Extensions

    .gif
    .jpg
    .css
    .inf

  • _vti*

    Contains

    Data used by the FrontPage extensions, and meta data in disc based websites.

    Comments

    See below for _vti_bin and _vti_cnf

    Do not edit the contents. Do not publish to another site.
    FrontPage and Expression Web never publish _vti* folders or their contents, whether using FTP or the FP extensions to publish.

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage.

    File Extensions

    various

  • _vti_bin

    Contains

    CGI programs for processing forms, hit counter, facilitating HTTP publishing and controlling authorisation (userid, password)

    Comments

    This folder is referenced by forms using the FrontPage extensions, and by the FrontPage Hit counter, but is a virtual directory - it is not actually in the website.
    In a default installation of Windows XP Pro or Windows Server 2003, the folder is located at:
    C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft Shared/Web Server Extensions/50/bin/

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage and Expression Web, and not accessible from either program.

    File Extensions

    .exe
    .dll
    

  • _vti_cnf

    Contains

    Meta data relating to files in the parent folder

    Comments

    Every folder (except some folders with names beggining _vti_) contains a _vti_cnf folder. Do not edit the contents. Do not publish to another site.

    The _vti_cnf folder contains text files that have the same names and extensions as the corresponding files in the parent folder. This can (and does) confuse FTP programs and results in FPextensions being corrupted when FTP is used.

    Status

    Always hidden in FrontPage.

    File Extensions

    various

  • Thicket Folders

    Thicket folders take names of the form pagename_files

    Contains

    Resource files such as images used by the page pagename.xxx where "xxx" can be any page extension such as htm, html, asp etc.

    Comments

    Thicket folders are automatically created for pages produced in Ms Office programs (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Publisher) and saved as HTML, or for pages using VML graphics. See Thickets and VML Graphics for more information.

    Status

    Never visible in Frontpage or Expression Web V1 and V2.Expression Web V3 and V4 usually hide Thicket folders, but they may be visible during publishing.

    File Extensions

    .xml
    .gif
    .jpg
    .txt

  • fpdb

    Contains

    Access Databases

    Comments

    Permissions are set to make a database readable and writeable by ASP pages, but not readable by anyone browsing the web.

    Status

    Visible and editable in FrontPage

    File Extensions

    .mdb

  • images

    Contains

    A repository intended for images and graphics, but there are no rules that images must be placed here.

    Comments

    Always present in a FrontPage web, but does not have to be used. There is no limitation on the type of file that can be stored here.

    File Extensions

    normally:
    .gif
    .jpg
    .png

  • subweb (FrontPage) or subsite (Expression Web)

    Contains

    A complete, self contained, website within a website. Subwebs/sites contain the same folder structure as the root web, and may include further subwebs/sites.

    Comments

    Can have any name not commencing with _underline

    A subweb is a folder that FrontPage treats as a different website. Folders that are subwebs are designated by a folder icon with a green globe. Contents of subwebs will be ignored by FrontPage until the subweb is opened in a new instance of FrontPage.

    Subwebs can only exist in disc-based web sites (hidden meta data must be used in Expression Web) or FrontPage extended sites.

    Status

    Always visible in FrontPage

    File Extensions

    Any extensions.

  • Other Folders

    Contain

    Files and folders as designated by the user

    Comments

    There is no limitation on the type of file that can be stored in these folders.

    Status

    Folders with names beginning with _ (underline) will be hidden, but can be made visible.

    File Extensions

    any extensions